HTC’s Upcoming Vive Flow Headset looks like a pair of portable VR Glasses

HTC’s mobile division may have gone silent, but the company has been doing a good job with its VR hardware. The HTC Vive is one of the more popular VR headsets competing against products from rivals like Oculus. Earlier this year, we got a glimpse of the HTC Vive Air, a concept VR headset focused on fitness. While the Vive Air didn’t make it to commercial production, HTC is all set to launch a new VR headset… or what seems more like a pair of glasses. Right before its official launch, a ton of images have leaked of the upcoming HTC Vive Flow, showing off its design and a few features.

By the looks of it, the HTC Vive Flow seems like a lightweight and portable VR headset that’s meant to be worn like a pair of spectacles. Generally, VR headsets are bulky and have a headband for support. The Vive Flow, however, only seems to have two bands on the side with a foldable hinge as per renders leaked by popular tipster Evan Blass of @evleaks fame. From the images, it seems like the Vive Flow is a standalone VR headset, meaning you don’t have to connect it to a computer or a smartphone to be able to use it. One of the leaked images does show the headset being paired to a smartphone, but it looks like that’s only to control the headset.

Miss me, @HTC? pic.twitter.com/hB7iPLLCHk

— E (@evleaks) October 12, 2021

The exact purpose of the HTC Vive Flow isn’t known yet, but one of the images mentions that they are “Immersive glasses made for well-being and mindful productivity.” This leads us to believe that the headset is not primarily meant for VR gaming but is rather inclined towards users who want to consume media or practice mindful activities like meditation. The images also mention some additional tidbits like a snap-on face cushion, immersive spatial audio, an active cooling system, and adjustable lenses. Apparently, you’ll also be able to use your phone as a VR controller or use Miracast to stream content from your phone onto the headset.

The last piece of information from the leaked images tells us that the HTC Vive Flow can be pre-ordered starting from 15 October for a price of $499 in the US. There are some pre-order gifts mentioned that include 7 free pieces of VR content, 2 months of Inifinity Vista, and a free carrying case. The headset will start shipping in early November. While we don’t know much about the product at the moment, it seems like an interesting concept by HTC since most VR headsets aren’t as portable or cannot be carried around easily due to their bulky nature. The Vive Flow looks to change that with a modern design and what looks like a form factor that can easily fit into your backpack.

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